Compare towns
Shirley vs Chaplin vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the most renters (36.8% rent).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Shirley | Chaplin | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,146Lowest |
2,070Highest |
1,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±14.6 14% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45±8.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pelham and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±6.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,494±$62k 34% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$113,750±$24kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,800±$50k 19% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$447,600±$33kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $982±$797Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,205±$560 15% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,398Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
$7,472Highest 140% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±15Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shirley and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 19% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±17.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.8%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #239 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Pelham |
| High school in town | — | Parish Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.